Saturday, December 11, 2010

Slippery slope

Even though the weather people said it would snow and be nasty today, unlike the people interviewed on the news, I did not make it to the grocery store to prepare for Snowmageddon. In fact, I never made it out of my pajamas, unless you count the time I spent in a hot shower trying to ease the congestion in my head.

I find the arrival of a particularly nasty little rhinovirus to be rather inconvenient. Yesterday afternoon (at commencements) was when I first became aware of the fact that I had a rather scratchy and sore throat. I thought it was because it was dry in the auditorium, but as the evening progressed, so did the proliferation of symptoms. By morning I was miserable.

As I write this, I've slathered my chest in Vicks, bundled myself in fleece, consumed plenty of oranges, teas and peanut M& Ms and can say with authority, I still feel like crap. I know I've only myself to blame because if I'd listened to the weatherman, I could be downing chicken soup and killing germs as I did, but I have no chicken soup because I never made it to the store. Neither did I get to pick up some soft tissues. I've been using toilet paper to tend to my rhinitis, and now my nose is sore as hell.

Leo, ever grateful to have someone sack out on the sofa with him to share body heat, is the only one who doesn't seem to mind the fact that I'm a viral, infectious and particularly unpleasant human being today. At least someone still loves me.

Apparently, I'm a little whiny, too.

But, even with my viral pollution, I've been knitting my butt off--a byproduct of too much Sudafed (the good stuff the pharmacist has to hand you). I've completed one of the items that's last to go on my knitting list. It's gorgeous, and I'm only going to give you a peek at the end product so I don't ruin it for the snoopy recipient. I think the tam with the corrugated rib pattern was a good primer for this project.

The tree, if you can call it that, is decorated with a handful of favorite ornaments. I don't want to overdo it by burdening the live Norfolk pine, a tropical plant, with too much weight. If I don't kill it, this plant should make it to become a holiday display for years to come. Because you all know of my lack of gardening prowess, I suggest you wish it well now.

Since it's almost time for bed, I'm off to mix up the hallucinogenic concoction of choice: honey, lemon and really good bourbon. If I consume enough, I won't wake up until my cold is gone.

It looks like the weather held for the graduation. I feel for all of you in the midwest right now... It looks awful. It has been so unseasonably warm here, my daughter wore flipflops yesterday. Makes it hard to get in the Christmas spirit!

Your Leo is a luv bug! I hope you feel well enough to enjoy your knitting! I like the colors you chose!

Awww! Isn't he cute! Ugh! The cold made the rounds in my office and home. My runny nose is still lingering. I had to sign for that Sudafed, too. A few bad apples spoiled that for us. Try to stay warm. I hope you feel better.

When I was a kid I used to be a Vicks-a-holic - LOVED the smell of that stuff. I would sneak into my mom's room where she kept it (just now I'm wondering why she kept it in the bedroom) & just sniff away. Good times :)

Brian looks so happy and so does Dad. Congrats to all of you. Graduations are awesome. Sorry you got the crud. I have had the same thing lingering on forever. I love that you being a nurse...use the oldies but goodies for a cold. May the stores forever carry Vicks, honey, lemon and bourban and ingredients for chicken noodle soup!

Oh, poor thing. I hope you feel better soon. Personally, I swear by Jameson's Irish Whisky with the lemon and honey, but bourbon is almost as good.

Sorry about the toilet paper, too. Been there.

"I hope you feel better soon." That's an odd statement now that I think about it. Am I tacitly acknowledging that there are two possibilities here (Rudee will feel better, Rudee won't feel better), and saying that I hope you get door #1?

Does anyone ever say "I hope you don't feel better soon"?

Also, while on the subject, if you get door #2, will your family bury you with your yarn stash or will there be an ugly fight amongst your yarn-loving relatives that ends in one of them being stabbed with your Signature stiletto-end needles?

oh so sorry about the cold. we have been so careful to wash our hands all the time but living where you have to use an elevator and stuff it's really hard to avoid germs, and all the northerners are down here now and they brought their germs with them, as usual. colds everywhere. so far so good in our house though...

I did Norfolk pine for the tree a couple of years - it did survive the first year to participate the next. I loved it but yes, ornaments are heavier than one thinks.... hope today you are feeling better.